diff --git a/util/lint/checkpatch.pl b/util/lint/checkpatch.pl
index 86fc9b25c2..2fc3c14dec 100755
--- a/util/lint/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/util/lint/checkpatch.pl
@@ -4027,6 +4027,17 @@ sub process {
 #ignore lines not being added
 		next if ($line =~ /^[^\+]/);
 
+# check for self assignments used to avoid compiler warnings
+# e.g.:	int foo = foo, *bar = NULL;
+#	struct foo bar = *(&(bar));
+		if ($line =~ /^\+\s*(?:$Declare)?([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z\d_]*)\s*=/) {
+			my $var = $1;
+			if ($line =~ /^\+\s*(?:$Declare)?$var\s*=\s*(?:$var|\*\s*\(?\s*&\s*\(?\s*$var\s*\)?\s*\)?)\s*[;,]/) {
+				WARN("SELF_ASSIGNMENT",
+				     "Do not use self-assignments to avoid compiler warnings\n" . $herecurr);
+			}
+		}
+
 # check for dereferences that span multiple lines
 		if ($prevline =~ /^\+.*$Lval\s*(?:\.|->)\s*$/ &&
 		    $line =~ /^\+\s*(?!\#\s*(?!define\s+|if))\s*$Lval/) {